South Omaha's Plaza de la Raza

Safe and pedestrian friendly.  That's the goal of the renovation of South 24^th Street between L and Q Streets.  Work has begun on the Plaza de la Raza that will create a new public space in the heart of South Omaha.

The $4.3 project will feature a public plaza, possibly with space for a bandstand, fountains and decorative paving that will replace the parking lot at 24th and N Streets. Twenty-Fourth Street between L and Q Streets will be narrowed from four lanes to two to slow traffic, and create space for diagonal parking on 24^th to provide a comfortable buffer between pedestrians and vehicles.

The area will be enhanced by landscaping on bump-outs or curbs that extend into the street at the intersections of M, N, O and P Streets to protect the diagonal parking and make 24th Street easier for pedestrians to cross.  Four-way stops will replace traffic signals at M, N and O Streets.

The diagonal parking will also help the small business owners along the street by making their establishments easier to access.  Planned future phases will further enhance the streetscape from L to Q Streets with new streetlights, sidewalks, planters, benches and columns to create more of a community look and feel.

Funding will come from both private and public sources with the City of Omaha committing $800,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money for 2004. Mayor Mike Fahey said more grants would come in future years. The South Omaha Business Association is pursuing private money to fund the remaining cost of the project.

The business association initiated the project with the help of city government and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.  They commissioned RDG Crose Gardner Shukert Inc. to study the 24^th street corridor and come up with design ideas.

Many entrepreneurs' have renovated storefronts and small businesses on and around South 24th Street at the own expense.  Now they have partners developing and renovating the public space in one of the city's historic districts.